Page 12 of Stranded at Michaelmas

“I am pleased to meet you, too, Miss Elizabeth,” Miss Darcy replied. “I confess I have been looking forward to meeting you ever since my brother told me of your meeting.”

Mary turned towards Elizabeth, her eyes full of questions. Mr Darcy noticed the reaction as well, and when Elizabeth glanced towards him, the look in his eyes made it perfectly clear that he found her predicament amusing.

“We have not told my mother about our being stranded at the inn, since my aunt and I did not wish to worry her unnecessarily,” Elizabeth explained. “Naturally, my father knows about the incident.”

“Oh,” Miss Darcy said, looking down at her hands.

“Do not concern yourself, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth hastened to say. “You have said nothing wrong. I am certain Mama will learn of it soon enough.” She smiled encouragingly. “But tell me, how are you finding Netherfield? I have always been very fond of the house and hope you are comfortable there.”

“We have been comfortable so far,” Miss Darcy answered. “I am uncertain how long I shall stay, but I am glad to have met you and your sisters. My brother said there were five of you.”

“The second youngest, Catherine, is in London with my aunt and uncle,” Elizabeth explained. “And the youngest, Lydia, is fifteen and has recently been returned to the schoolroom. It is possible you will meet her during your visit, depending upon how long you remain, but for now my parents have decided that she would benefit from a little more time before entering society again.”

“Oh, we met Mrs Gardiner and Miss Catherine a few days ago,” Miss Darcy said with sudden animation. “My brother had some business with Mr Gardiner, and afterwards he asked whether Mrs Gardiner might call at Darcy House. You see, she knew my mother and father, even if only a little, and I was so pleased to speak with her. Your sister accompanied her on the call, though she was very quiet.”

Elizabeth glanced sharply towards Mr Darcy, her brows rising before she could prevent it. He had not appeared to know Uncle Gardiner when they last met, and she had certainly not expected to learn that her aunt and Kitty had since been invited to Darcy House.

For the remainder of the visit, Elizabeth found herself speaking primarily with Miss Darcy. Mary occasionally contributed, as did Mr Darcy, though for the most part the two were content to listen. Elizabeth nevertheless found great enjoyment in the conversation and was particularly pleased when Mary became more animated as the subject turned to music.

It seemed Miss Darcy greatly enjoyed the pianoforte and had recently begun learning the harp. Mary and Elizabeth were the only Bennet sisters who played any instrument, and after reading about the harp some months before, Mary had expressed a wish to learn it herself. Acquiring such an instrument seemed unlikely, much to Mary’s disappointment.

Elizabeth was rather less troubled by the impossibility. Indeed, she sometimes wondered whether another instrument might give Mary an outlet for her love of music that did not involve singing quite so often. Her sister’s voice was tolerable, but by no means capital, and Elizabeth had occasionally attempted—always gently—to discourage her from exhibiting it too frequently.

Miss Darcy admitted that she rarely sang herself and much preferred expressing herself through an instrument. Mary appeared intrigued by this, and although a slight flush rose to her cheeks when their father made some dry observation about the advantage of knowing one’s particular strengths, she did not appear offended. If anything, Elizabeth thought she looked thoughtful.

Perhaps, Elizabeth reflected, her mother’s unexpected admonition had not fallen upon entirely barren ground after all.

The visitors from Netherfield remained for half an hour, and when they rose to take their leave, Mrs Bennet invited them to remain for tea. They readily accepted, and by the end of another hour, the acquaintance between the three young ladies had warmed considerably.

“I hope you will both call me Georgiana,” Miss Darcy said somewhat hesitantly. “That is, if you would not object.”

Before answering, Elizabeth glanced towards Mr Darcy. She was not entirely certain why she did so, for his sister hardly required his permission to choose her friends, but she found him watching Georgiana with a pleased expression. When his gaze met Elizabeth’s, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, as though encouraging her.

“I should be very pleased to, Georgiana,” Elizabeth replied. “And you must call me Elizabeth.”

“And Mary,” her sister added quietly.

Georgiana seemed to relax at once.

It occurred to Elizabeth then that Mr Darcy had seemed particularly anxious for his sister to make new acquaintances. She recalled his words at the inn on the evening they had all been stranded there together. Perhaps seeing Georgiana so animated was as gratifying to him as Mary’s increased participation had been to Elizabeth.

Chapter Six

The following day was Michaelmas. Although Georgiana had asked to visit the Bennets again, Darcy had declined, pointing out that with the tenants’ Harvest Home celebration that evening, the family would likely be too occupied to receive callers.

Near midday, Mr Ainsworth, Netherfield’s steward, arrived at the manor house to invite the Netherfield party to attend the celebration.

“Although you are not the owner of Netherfield, Mr Bingley, I believe the tenants would be pleased to see you this evening,” he began. “It is customary for the landholders hereabouts—and their families—to attend, at least for the first part of the evening.”

“Yes, Darcy mentioned something of the tradition and thought Netherfield might do something similar,” Bingley answered. He glanced towards Darcy, presumably for confirmation, and Darcy inclined his head.

Bingley needed no further persuasion. “We would be delighted.”

Darcy could not deny that he was equally pleased. Even more appealing was the knowledge that he would have another opportunity to see Miss Elizabeth that evening.

As he had expected, she had put his sister at ease almost from the moment they were introduced. What he had not expected was how readily Georgiana had responded to her, something Darcy could not remember her doing with any new acquaintance before.

He had known Miss Elizabeth only a short time, yet there was an ease in her company that he rarely experienced with anyone outside his closest circle. Apparently, Georgiana had discovered something similar upon their first meeting.